Rotary engine.



APPLICATION FILED IAN. 14. 1916.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. IVI. LONG. ROT'AHY'ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED'JAN. I4, |916.

l ,2 l 7,789. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- W/ T/I/ESSES I', I By I A /1 TOHIVEYS E. M. LONG.

ROTARY ENGINE.

ION J APP 4. 1916. 1,217,789. Patented Feb.27,1917.

4 EEEEEEEEEEEE 3.

A TR/VEYS E. M. LONG.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.14.1916.

1,217,789. Peeeneed Feb.27,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WIT/VESSES /lV VEN 70H ATTORNEYS STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` EDGAR M. LONG, -or oAx CITY, NORTH CAROLINA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

all lwhom t may concern.' Be it known that I, EDGAR M. LONG, a

--ctizen of the United States, and a resident "of Oak City, in the county of Martin and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of -which the following isa full, clear, and exact deso frequent that the resulting combustion scription.

My invention relates to rotary engines of the internal-combustion type. An object of the invention is to provide an eflicient, comparatively non-gyroscopic. engine. Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine .of the internal-combustion typevin which the successive explosions are of the fuel may be said to be continuous. A

further object of the invention is to provide 'a .rotary engine of the .type specified in-.

well as the expansion niting gas, is utilized.

which-'the direct impact of the explosion, as

potential of the ig- .with the above and other objects in View,

. the nature of which will more fully appear 25 as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure Lis a section of my engine, certain parts being broken away to show the details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2,

ig. 3 is a similar section on line 3 3,

. Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the rotor of the engine;` Fig. 5 is a cross section through the shaft and controlling bearing therefor on line 5 5, Fig. 1; v

Fig. 6 is a cross section through the rotor at the-ball race; and

Fig. 7 is a diagram of the reactions taking place in the engine.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a stator which-has tubular extensions 11 directed radially from the periphery and disposed sym- Specication of Letters Patent." i

- corresponding tubular extension 11.

mtricallyat intervals of--90. The tubular extensions 11 are flanged to receive com-` crosshead has a roller 15 in Contact with the periphery of a fioating piston 16 mounted to roll in the stator 10. V

A packing gland 17 maintains packing 18 on the periphery of the'roller 15 and whereby the rollers are maintained firmly on the periphery of the piston 16. Bearingiblocks 19 engaging the trunnions of the rollers are adjustable within the crossheads through the medium of locking screws 2O,v whereby braking action by the packing" on the rollers is prevented.

The piston 16 has a central cone-shaped opening 2l. Fitting snugly into said opening is a cone-shaped rotor 22 provided with cylindrical extensions 23 at each end of the conical portion thereof, all included Within the stator. The end surfaces of the piston 16 are dished, whereby its thickness at the opening is less than at the periphery. The cylindrical portions 23 of thel rotor are threaded to receive ball or roller races 24 cooperating with similar races 25 provided in the piston, balls 26 being provided between the races 24 and 25. By means of the 1threaded ball races 24 a tight it is main- Y tained between the Patented Feb. 27, 1917. Application filed January 14, 1916. Serial No. 72,064.

race 24 and the portions 23 of the rotor (best shown in Fig. 6), so that for a slight degree of relative displacement between the race andthe rotor there .is always a pair of keyways which will fall in register and thus permit the keying of the races to the rotor.

Shafts 28 are extended from each end ofl therotor eccentric therewith and preferably forming an integral part of the rotor. An eccentric bearing sleeve 29 is provided -on each shaft 28. A similar sleeve 30 receives a corresponding eccentric sleeve 29, the eccentricities of the coperatingsleeves being oppositely directed. A. The sleeve 30 is provided' with a ball or roller race 31 at the inner end of the sleeve. Coperating with each race 31 is a similar race 32 adjustably mounted in the stator in a way similar to what has been described with reference to the race 24. Each race 32 is provided with a coperating packing gland 33 also mounted in the stator and forming an additional bearing for the outer eccentric sleeve 30 at each face of the stator.

The outer sleeve 30 extends beyond the inner sleeve 29 and the shafts 28. One of said sleeves bears in a stationary hollow casing 34, said sleeve has openings 35 on the periphery thereof within the casing, and the casing has an exhaust pipe 36. The shaft 28 on this side of the engine is hollow to establish communication between the casing 34 and the exhaust cavity 37 within the rotor 22. The exhaust cavity 37 is in communication with an exhaust port 38 formed on the periphery of the rotor in a plane central with passages 39 formed in the central plane of the piston and extending from lthe 1nnerto the-outer periphery thereof. The width of said passages 39 at the rotor is equal to the width of the exhaust port 38 and also to the charge-delivering port 40 provided on the periphery of the rotor at a suitable interval from the exhaust port.

The port 4() is in communication through a suitable passage in the rotor with a charge chamber 41 provided Within the rotor. A valve 42 is provided within the passage for establishing or cutting off communication between the chamber and the port 40. This valve is operable by a cam rod 43 extending from the exhaust cavity 37 through the holloW shaft 28 and out of the stationary, hollow casing 34 where means 44 are provided for manipulating the rod 43 and whereby the valve 42 is maintained at its seat against the pressure of the charge. In this position of the valvethe engine is inoperative.

The passages 39 in the piston decrease in depth as they approach the outer periphery of the piston, but their width increases in proportion, so that at the periphery said passages 39 extend substantially through the `entire width of the piston. The axes of said passages .39 are markedly oblique tothe radius of the piston, in consequence of which the reactions on the tWo apparently unequal sides ofthe passage are equal, as will appear later.

The rotor 22 has on the periphery thereof a firing notch 45 adapted to register with the passages 39 and is suitably spaced from the charge delivering port 40. The notchesk in communication with the passage joining the charge delivering port with the charge chamber through the medium of a check valve 46, checking the flow from the firing notch to the passage. A Wire 47 isprovided Within the notch 45 which is rendered incandescent when starting the engine through the medium of a source of electricity 47, one pole of which is grounded. rlhe other pole of the source is connected to the rod 43 which is insulated from the engine parts by insulator bearings 49. The wire 47 is also connected to the rod, an insulation 48 being provided for the wire in the rotor (see Fig. 3). A switch is provided in the circuit to close the current through the wire 47 when starting the engine. After the engine is started, the combustion of the fuel'maintains the wire incandescent. To prevent short-circuiting, the valve 42 is provided with an insulated tip at the point of engagement with the rod 43.

Channels 50 establish communication between the charge chamber and the periphery of the rotor. These channels 50 form apertures on the rotor on both sides of the piston. A check valve 51 is provided between the chamber and the channels to check the flow from the chamber to the channels. rlhe sides of the stator are in communication through conduits 52 with the outlet ends of the compressors 12. These conduits enter the stator 10 within the area always covered by the face margin of the {ioating piston 16. A circumferential groove 53 is provided in each face margin to receive a packing ring 54, which prevents the charge forced into the end chambers from leaking out. It will be noted that the projecting portion of the packing ring is enlarged and forms an angle with the face of the piston so that the pressure tends to move the packing ring out of the groove into engagement with the segmental plates 55 provided on the end Walls of the stator to form grooves orister with said port Will receive the charge.

of fuel, which charge is ready to be ignited. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the relation of the piston, stator and rotor is such that the register between the port 40 and a passage 39 takes place when the piston at the registering passage is contacting with the surface of the stator. The charge delivered to the 'passage 39 by the port 40 will ignite when said port. during the displacement of the rotor and piston comes into communication with the ring notch 45. rllhe explosion resulting from the established communication passes out largely through the adjacent passage 39 immediately behind, but also to a certain extent through the one that' furnishes the charge. rlfhe escape of the explosion through the adjacent passage 39 is due to the close proximity of said passages at the v capacity. This space or chamber is full of Y tially incompressible.

inner periphery of the rotor, as 'can be seen, whereat the passages are separated by an edge 57. In consequence, the successive eX- plosions are within very short intervals and' the resulting combustion within the englne may be said to be continuous.

The gases exploded within the passage 39,y

due to the established communication with the ring notch 45 will'meet practically solid resistance, due to the fact that the peripheral opening of thepassage is almost completely covered by the lperiphery of the stator. The gases escaping through the adjacent following passages 39 enter the expansion space 58, or the chamber of varying burnt gas under the high pressure created by the preceding explosions and is substan- Meeting this unyielding resistance the newly ignited gas expands, causing the rotation of the rotor and the piston therewith. The products of combustion will exhaust from the chamber as its capacity decreases from maximum to minimum through the passages 39, which will then register with the exhaust port 38. The side A-B of a passage 39 has a greater extent of surface than the side and of the force c may be obtained by drawing theradius of the piston through the points d and b respectively. By erecting .perpendiculars to the radii of the points I) and d the perpendiculars will be tangent to the pistons circle of travel. By completing the parallelogram for the forces a, and b it will be noted that the components F yF are` equal and act in opposite direc# tions, neutralizing each other; consequently the forces .of explosion within the passage 39 give rise to no tendency of independent -rotation of the piston upon the'rotor. The components c g and z. z' act substantially in the radius of the piston; and theirc'ombined effect. tends to separate the piston from the rotor 'by a force equal to e-g minus lbf-f5. lThis tendency lessens the strain on the roller bearingsl of the piston by counteraeting, in a measure, the-.force of pressure applied to the peripheryot` the piston from the expansion space.

If desired the inner periphery of the stator 1Q may be indented and a correspond- -ing vindented surface formed on the piston stator.. This will oder a sinuous'joint be- 'es to mesh with the indented periphery of the.

tween the contacting surfaces ofthe stator 'i and piston and prevents slipping .between the piston and stator.

The portions of the crossheads 14 passing beyond the margin of the piston are conf nected by links 59 at each faceV of the piston to a ring 60 which encompasses a portion 23 of the rotor. The ring has arcuate slots 61 at intervals of 90o engaged by the links.

This connection of the rcrossheads and the ring causes the inward displacement'of the compressor piston when the rotaryv piston 16 displaces outwardly the opposite. compressor piston. The. throttling of the engine is in the usual way, by providing automatic or manually operablemeans in the intake conduitv 62. Y

The interengaging, veccentric sleeves 29 (and 30 each have diametrically opposite,y spiral Vslots 63 extending substantially half way around the sleeve. The slots on the inner sleeve are directed oppositely to the -slots on the vouter sleeve, each slot having a pitch of 45o. A`diametrical slot .64 --is provided in the shafts 28 of substantially the same length as the slot 63, and the length of each slot 6.4 is that of the projection of theA spiral slot 63 on to a plane.l

A'ring 65 is mounted on to the outerv eccentric sleevesto be adjustable through the length of the slot. The ring carries a pin or pins 66 projecting through all the slots of the coperating sleeves and shafts 28. Consequently when the ring 65 is ladjusted on the outer sleeve the two eccentric sleeves are rotated in opposite directions upon' the corresponding shaft portion through equal angles. Since the outer sleeves bear in the stator, this adj,ustment permits the adjust?- ment of'the rotor within the stator.` Y To prevent an accidental displacement of the rings 65 .on the corresponding sleeves, locking members 67 are threaded on thesleeves 30 to each side of the ring.. The locking members, when secured against the ring, arey united by a cap or union 68 in threaded engagement with the periphery of alocking member. y

The outer eccentric sleeve 30 cooperating with the solid shaft portion 2 8 extends be.- yond said shaft portion to receive lmeans for transmitting power, for the pin 66 which `en-l gages the slots 63 and 64 will transmit the rotary movement from said shaft portion to said sleeves, and, consequently, to the meansl for transmitting power from said sleeve 3.0. f To prevent axial displacement of the shafts and the inner eccentric sleeves 29, abutting members 69 are provided within the outer eccentric sleeves 30. v l Under normal conditions, in starting .the

igniting the fuel mixture in the passage that is in register with the firing notch 45 and thus starting the engine.

While I have described the principle of operation, together with the engine which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the engine shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll on theperiphery of the stator, means forming chambers of variable capacities between said piston and stator, a rotor within the piston, said piston having passages establishing communication between the roto-r and said chambers, means for supplying a compressed fuel charge to said passages of the piston, and means for igniting the fuel charge in said passages when said passages establish communication between a chamber at minimum capacity and said rotor.

2. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, means forming chambers of variable capacities between the piston and stator, a rotor Within the piston, said piston having passages establishing communication between the chambers and the rotor, means for supplying the rotor with a compressed fuel mixture, said rotor having means for delivering the compressed fuel charge to the passages about to establish communication between the chamber at minimium capacity l and the rotor, and means for igniting the charge in said passages.

3. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, sliding abutments in said stator engaging. the piston whereby chambers of variable capacities are formed between said stator and piston, a rotor within the piston, said piston having passages establishing communication between the rotor and the chambers, means for supplying the rotorA with a compressed fuel mixture, said rotor having means for delivering the fuel mixture to the passages about to establish` communication between the rotor and the chambers at minimum capacity, means for igniting the charge in the passage, said rotor havreime@ ing means for exhausting the gases of combustion from the chambers as they change from maximum to their minimum capacity.

4. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll ony the periphery of the stator, sliding abutments in the stator engaging the piston and forming chambers of Variable capacities between said piston and stator, a rotor within the piston, said piston having passages establishing communication between the chambers and the rotor, compressors operable by the abutments for supplying a fuel mixture to the passages at substantially the minimumcapacity of a chamber, means for igniting the mixture in the passage, and means for exhausting the products of combustion from the chambers as their capacities decrease.

5. In a rotary engine, a stator having at the periphery thereof symmetrically disposed, radial, tubular extensions, a rotor therein eccentric to the axis of the stator, a piston free to turn on the rotor and mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, 'abutments in said tubular extensions of the stator engaging the piston and whereby chambers of varying capacities are formed in the stator, a compressor for each tubular extension in engagement .with the corresponding abutment, means for supplying a fuel mixture to said compressors, said compressors adapted to deliver the compressed fuel mixture to saidv rotor, said piston having passages establishing communication between the rotor and the chambers, said rotor having means for delivering the compressed fuel mixture-to the passages about to establish communication between the rotor and a chamber at minimum capacity, means for igniting the compressed fuel charge after it has been delivered to the passages, said rotor having means for exhausting the products of combustion from the passages establishing communication between the rotor and a chamber decreasing in capacity.

6. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, means forming chambers of variable capacities between said piston and stator at the periphery,'and chambers of fixed capacitiesat the ends, a rotor within` the piston having passages establishing communication between the periphery of the rotor and the end chambers,J means for supplying a compressed fuel mixture to said end chambers, said piston having passages establishing communication between the periphery of the rotor and the peripheral chambers whereby bustion from the peripheral chambers into a rotor within the piston having a chargereceiving chamber, means for supplying the chamber with a compressed fuel mixture, said rotor having a port at the periphery thereof in communication with the charge-receiving chamber, a check valve preventing the back flow from the port to said'chamber, means for operating the valve whereby the flow from the chamber to the port may be prevented, said piston having passages establishing communication between the periphery of the rotor and the chambers of varying capacities, through said passages the compressed fuel mixture being delivered by said port to the chambers attheir minimum' capacities, means for igniting the compressedfuel mixture in the passages after it has been delivered by the charge delivering port.

8. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rolling piston therein, including means forming chambers of variable capacities between the piston and stator, a hollow rotor within the piston, said rotor having a charge delivering port at the periphery thereof in communication with the Aho low, said piston having passages establishing communication between the periphery of the rotor and the chambers, a valve adapted to check the flow from the charge delivering port to the hollow of the rotor, means for supplying lthe hollow of the rotor with a compressed fuel mixture, ignition means carried in a recess provided on the periphery of said rotor, and a check valve establishing communication between the charge delivering port and the recess for the ignition.

9. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, shafts extending from the rotor through the stator, an eccentric sleeve on each shaft, an eccentric sleeve bearing in each end of the stator andV receiving the first-mentioned eccentric sleeve, the eccentricity of said sleeves being directed oppositely, means for rotating said eccentric sleeves on the shafts through equal angles whereby the axis of eccentricity of the rotor may be adjusted within the stator, and means for locking the sleeveto the shafts in the adjusted position.

10. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rolling annular piston therein including means forming chambers of variable capacities between said piston and stator, the inner periphery of said piston being beveled, a rotor having a beveled portion engaging said inner periphery of the piston, and adjustable bearings on said rotor for maintalning a tlght fit between the piston and the rotor, said piston having passages extending from the inner to the outer periphery thereof for bringing the beveled portion of said rotor in' communication with said chambers.

'11. In a rotary engine,- a stator, a rolling piston therein including Imeans forming chambers of variable capacities between the periphery of the piston and stator, said pis# ton having concave end surfaces whereby a chamber of constant capacity isformed at the ends of the stator, means for supplying a compressed-fuel mixture to said lend chambers, and a packing ring on each end surface of the piston atv the margin thereof, said packing ring having an annular portion disposed at a`n acute angle to the end surface of the piston whereby said packing ring is maintained against the end surface of the stator by the pressure of the fuel mixture in.

the end chambers. y y

12. ,In a ,rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of thestator, a piston bearing on the rotor and adapted to roll on the periphery of the stator, abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the piston to form chambers o f varying capacitiesat the periphery of the stator, rings about said rotor within the stator and links connecting the' rings to the abutments.

13 In a rotary engine a stator, a rolling piston, sliding abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the piston and .forming chambers of varying capacities at the periphery of said piston and stator, a rotor in the piston adapted to communicate with said chambers through said piston, said piston having concave ends forming chamchambers of varying capacities), and means for igniting the mixture.

14. In a` rotary engine', a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, a piston bearing on the rotor and adapted to roll on the periphery of the stator, abutments in' the ,stator` a roller carried by the abutment for 'engaging the periphery of the .plston to form chambers 0 varying capacitles at the periphery of the stator, packing means 1n the abutment for the roller, and means for adjusting the roller to and from the perlphL ery of the piston.

15. In a rotary engine, a stator., a rolllng piston therein, sliding abutments in the stator. a roller associated with each abutment'for engaging the periphery of the p1ston, packing means for the rollers 1n the abutments, and adjustable means for maintaining the roller in engagement with the periphery of the piston.

16. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a rolling piston therein, sliding abutments in the stator, a roller in each abutment mounted'to slide therein in the radial direction of the stator, means resisting the 'sliding movement of the roller in the abutment, and a packling gland in each abutment for maintaining packing at the periphery of the roller.

17. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, an annular piston bearing on the rotor and adapted to roll on the periphery of the stator, abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the piston and forming chambers of varying capacities through the periphery of the stator, said piston having passages extending between the inner and the outer periphery and disposed obliquely to the radial-di- `rection of the piston and whereby comand forming chambers ofvarylng capacities at the periphery of the stator, said piston having passages extending from the inner to the outer periphery, said passages being oblique to the radial direction of the piston, vone side of each passage being substantially tangent to the periphery of the rotor, said rotor having means for coperating with the passages whereby communication is established by said passages between the rotor and the chambers, means for supplying the rotor with an explosive fuel mixture, means for igniting the fuelmixture in said pasf sages, said rotor having Vmeans for exhausting the products of combustion from said passages through Asaid rotor, the relation between the sides of a passage in the piston being such that the components in the passage in the direction of rotation during the explosion is balanced.

19. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, an annular piston bearing on the rotor and adapted to roll on the periphery of the stator, abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the. piston and forming chambers of varying capacities at the'periphery of the stator, said piston having passages establishing communication between the rotorA and the chambers, means for supplying an explosive mixture to said passages, and

means for igniting the explosive mixture in said passages, said passages being so formed that the components of the explosion on the sides thereof are balanced in the direction of rotation of the piston.

20. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, a piston free to turn on the rotor and mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, sliding abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the piston, said piston having charge-receiving passages, compressors operable by the abutments for supplying an explosive mixture to the passages, and means for igniting the mixture in the passages, said rotor having means offering a reaction to the explosion of the charge in the passages and whereby the same is caused to rotate.

21. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor ,eccentric to the axis of the stator, a piston bearing on the rotor and adapted to roll on the periphery of the stator, abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the p piston whereby chambers of varying capacities are formed in the stator by said piston and abutments, said piston having passages establishing communication between the rotor and the said chambers, compressors operable by the displacement of the abutments for supplying fuel mixture to said passages, and means for igniting the mixture in the passages, said rotor having means offering a reaction to the mixture ignited within the passages.

22. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor eccentric to the axis of the stator, a piston bearing on the. rotor and mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator during the revolution of the rotor, sliding abutments in the stator engaging the periphery of the piston and whereby the space between the stator and piston is divided into chambers of varying capacities, said piston having passages establishing communication ,between said chambers and the periphery of the rotor, compressors operable by the movement of the abutments for supplying explosive mixture to the rotor, said rotor having means for distributing the compressed mixture to the passages of the piston, and igniting means carried by the rotor for exploding the mixture in the passages, said rotor at the igniting means having means for presenting a reaction to the ignited charge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

23. ln a rotary engine, a stator, a piston mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, means forming a chamber ofvariable capacities intermediate said piston and stator, and a rotor in the piston adapted to communicate with said chambers through said piston, the rotary movement of the rotor causing the piston to roll on the periphery of the stator.

24. In a rotary engine, a stator, a piston therein mounted to roll on the periphery of the stator, means forming chambers ofvariable capacities intermediate said piston and stator, said piston and stator forming chambers of constant capacity at the ends, means for supplying a compressed fuel mixture to the end chambers, a rotor within the piston` eccentric to the axis of the stator, said piston having passages establishing commu- 'nication between the chambers of variable capacities and the periphery of the rotor,

and said rotor having means for establishing communication between its periphery and the chambers of constant capacity.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. y

' EDGAR M. LONG. Witnesses:

TH'os. B. SLDE, J r., W. S. RHODES. 

